Soap dispenser



NOV. 1 193.2. Al L, BOBRlCK 1,885,979

SOAP DI SPENSER Filed Aug. 14. 1931 v ,f3 W

jz,\ 2go) ,zz 39 4 L 29 7 J2) AT RNE Patented Nov. l, 1932 UNITED ,STATES ARTHUR L. BOBRICK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA SOAP DISPENSER Application led August 14, 1931.

This invention relates to soap dispensers, and particularly to an improved mechanism for dispensing liquid or powdered soap.

The principal object isto provide an improved type of mechanism including a receptacle adapted to be attached to a supporting member `and provided with `a dispensing mechanism and a casing associated with and adapted to enclose the receptacle and dispensl@ ing mechanism against unauthorized access and against unauthorized removal from the supporting member, together with means on the casing adapted to be operated manually for dispensing predetermined quantities of soap from the receptacle.

This invention contemplates the provision of a simple and effective dispensing mechanism which is incapable of access and may not be tampered with by unauthorized persons, and means is provided on the casing whereby the casing and soap receptacle may be locked together for preventing access to and removal of the receptacle.

Other and more detailed objects of invention may appear as the description progresses. j

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a preferred form ofinvention, vsubject to modification within the scope' of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof. In said drawing,

Fig. 1 is a reduced scale front elevation of my improved soap dispenser attached to a suitable supporting member for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged and substantially full sized sectional elevation of the same on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary sectional elevation of the dispensing mechanism on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the dispensing mechanism on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of a lock on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, for locking the casing against unauthorized access.

Briefly described, my improvements include a receptacle 1, a casing 2 detachably or hingedly supported on the receptacle in such a manner that the receptacle and a dispensing mechanism 4 may be enclosed against Serial No. 557,068.

unauthorized access. The receptacle 1 is preferably formed of metal and has on one side thereof a fiat metal base 5 adapted to be rigidly secured to a suitable supporting member 6 by means of screws 7, 7 etc. The base 5 has an extension 8 at its upper end and an extension 9 at its lower end which project respectively upwardly and downwardly from the top and bottom of the receptacle 1, as shown in Fig. 2. i

Preferably the base 5 has an outwardly turned ange 10 on its top and two opposite sides, and the case 2 is adapted to overlie the flanged margins of the base as shown when the case is closed. As a matter of convenience I prefer to hingedly mount the case 2 on the lower extension 9 of base 5, as at 11,

so that the case when opened maybe swung to the left, as seen in Fig. 2, downwardly into position for eXposingthe open top of the .re- 7 c'eptacle l and the dispensing mechanism 4. A lock 12 is attached to the inner side of the base 2 and is adapted to be operated by a key 13. The lockincludes a latch 14 which engages a fixed member 15 attached to the base 5, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus when the key 1.3 is turned the latch 14 will either engage or disengage the member 15 for locking or unlocking the case 2 from the receptacle 1. The receptacle is open at the top for the purpose of quickly and conveniently filling the interior of the receptacle with liquid or powdered soap, and the bottom 16 thereof is provided with an opening 17 beneath which a hopper 18 is mounted on the bottom 16 of the receptacle by means of screws 19, 19 extended into a flange 20 of the hopper.

The hopper 18 is provided with a well .21'immediately below the opening 17 in the receptacle and acentral body portion 22 which is bored at 23 to receive a multiple pocketed dispenser 24. The dispenser 24 is provided with a plurality of pockets 25 separated by radially disposed vanes 26 and is xed to a shaft 27 which is journaled in a 'l boss 28 in the hopper and in a head 29 adapted to seat in the Vopen end of the bore 23, as shown in Fig. 4.

The dispenser 24 is normally positioned as shown in Fig. 8 with one of the pockets 25 disposed beneath the well 21 of the hopper and the opening 17 in the bottom of the re- Y ceptacle so that said pocket maybe filled i receptacle by means of a screw 31: and is formed with a loop 32 inwardly of the screw 31, a dependin bend 33, and a portion 34 which is exten ed upwardly into the receptacle 1. Thus the tension of the spring Serves to center the successive pockets 25 of the dispenser 24 with the well 21 of the hopper, the bend 33 of the spring engaging the opposite walls of the pockets. The portion 34 serves as an agita-tor for the quantity of soa held in the container 1 and into which sai portion extends, due to the fact that the rotation of the dispenser 24 serves to alternately raise and lower the spring 30.

vThe hopper 18 is provided beneath the bod 22 with a downwardly and forwardly inclined spout 35 having an outlet passage 36 therein extending thru an opening 37 in y thebottom of the casing 2. At each operation of the dispenser 24, therefore, a quantity of soap will be discharged from therhopper thru the passage 36.

'Ele operation of the dispenser is accomplished by means of the following described mechanism:

' The shaft 27 is extended substantially from the head 29 of the body and carries a clutch member 38 which is formed thereon or fixed thereto. Inwardly of the clutch member 38 a collar 39 is loosely carried on shaft 27 adjacent the head 29 and is provided with a reduced threaded portion 40 adapted to reoeive the inner end of an operating member 41'. Said operating member has a recess 42 y:for enclosing the clutch member 38 and is provided at its outer end with a closed hub rtion 43 which rotatably receives the ad- .)aeent end of shaft 27. Intermediate the .Y clutch member 38 and the hub 43 a second V.clutch member 44 is mounted within the f recess 42 and is fixed to the member 41 by means of pin 45 or otherwise. The clutch member 38 is held in engagement with the clutch member 44 by means of a spring 46' which is carried on shaft 27 and is compressed between clutch member 38 and the collar 39..

Thefadjacent faces of the clutch members 38 and 44 are provided with correspondingly -formed teeth as shown, so that when the member 41 is rotated in a. counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, the dispenser 24 will be, correspondingly rotated by reason of rv.the engagement of the clutch members 38 and 44.

lug 51 bent inwardly from the base 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

The member 41 is also provided with a depending arm 52 which is engaged by the inner end of a plunger 53 slidably mounted in a fitting 54 attached to the outer wall of the casin 2, and said plunger is provided with a push ob 55 whereby the plunger may be forced inwardly against the tension of spring 49 into operative engagement with the arm 52 of operating member 41. The movement of the operating member 41 may be limited by means of a lug or stop member 56 either formed on or attached to the head 29 of the hopper. Said head may be fxedly held in position on the hopper by means of a pair or more screws 57 or otherwise.

AThe operation and use of my improved device will be readily understood from the foregoing description and the drawing embodied in my application.

A uniform quantity of soap is dispensed at each operation of the plunger 53 which serves to rotate ythe dispenser 24 in a counter-clockwise direction one point at each inward thrust y of the plunger 53, and the bend 33 and the spring 30 serve to limit the movement of the dispenser at each operation and to center a succeeding pocket therein with the well 21 of the hopper. At the same time each movement of the dispenser serves to agitata the soap in the receptacle 1 by reason of the vibration of the portion 34 which extends upwardly into the soap.

The spring 49 restores the operating member 41 to position for a succeeding operation and the clutch 44 moves in a clockwise direction over the adjacent clutch member 38 against the tension of spring 46 when the operating member is restored to normal position.

Thedispensing mechanism is so arranged that the operating means is entirely enclosed within the member 41 so that it may not become clogged by the entrance of particles of soap and will therefore be sanitary at all times, and its free and accurate operation unimpaired.

It will be noted in connection with the operating mechanism that I provide in the cavity 42 of the member 41 a felt washer 57 adjacent the end of the collar 39 and a metal washer 58 internally of the felt washer. The spring 46, therefore, compresses between the metal washer 58 and thevclutch member 38. The tension of said spring serves to compress the felt washer 57 and expand the same into close contact with the inner periphery of member 41 so that a sufficient amount of lubricant may be placed in the cavity 42 when the Adevice is assembled and the washer 57 will prevent the leakage of the lubricant therefrom.

An important feature of my invention consists in the arrangement and means of suptil porting the operating mechanism so that by the removal of the screws 57, 57 the entire operating mechanism may be removed for purposes of repair, replacement or service Without necessitating the removal of the entire dispensing unit from its supporting member.

l/Vhat l claim is:

l. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a receptacle for the materials, a casing adjustably mounted relative to the receptacle for enclosing the receptacle against unauthorized access, a dispensing mechanism on the receptacle and having an outlet projecting thru said casing, and an operating member mounted on the casing and operatively engaging and for actuating said dispensing mechanism, as described.

2. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a receptacle for the materials, a. dispensing mechanism mounted thereon, a casing adjustably supported relative to and for enclosing said receptacle and said dispensing mechanism against unauthorized access, and means mounted stationarily on said casing for engagement with and for actuating the dispensing mechanism.

3. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a supporting member, a receptacle mounted on said supporting member, a. dispensing mechanism associated With said receptacle for receiving and dispensing uniform quantities of material at each operation, a casino' adjustably mounted on said supporting member and for enclosing said receptacle and said dispensing mechanism against unauthorized access, and means accessible from and mounted on the exterior of said casing for actuating the dispensing mechanism.

4. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a supporting member, a receptacle mounted on said supporting member, a dispensing mechanism associated With said receptacle for receiving and dispensing uniform quantities of material Vat each operation, a. casing adjustably mounted on said supporting memberv and for enclosing said receptacle and said dispensing mechanism against unauthorized access, and means accessible from and mounted on the exterior of said casing for actuating the dispensing mechanism, said dispensing mechanism including a delivery spout projecting thru said casing.

5. A dispenser for dry materials comprisf ing a receptacle having an opening in the bottom thereof, a housing mounted below said opening, a rotatable dispensing element mounted in said housing adjacent said opening, a casing' adjustable relative to and enclosing said receptacle and said dispensing mechanism against unauthorized access, an operating member mounted on said casing, and means associated With said dispensing element and engageable rby said operating member for rotating the dispensing element to discharge lmeasured quantities ofthe materials from said casing.

6. A dispenser for dry materials as characterized in claim 5, including means for preventing an over-movement of said dispensing element at each operation thereof, and means for restoring said intermittently operable means at the completion of each operation preparatory to a succeeding operation.k

8. A dispenser 4for dry materials comprising a receptacle, a dispensing' mechanism mounted on the bottom of said receptacle, a casing hingedly secured at one end to said receptacle and adapted to be locked to said receptacle at its other end for enclosing the receptacle and the dispensing mechanism against unauthorized access, and means on said casing cooperating With the dispensing means when the casing is locked for dispensing measured quantities of the material thru the casing.

9. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a receptacle having an opening in the bottom thereof, a dispensing housing attached to the receptacle adjacent said opening, said housing having a receiving chamber for the material, a delivery spout, and a dispensing chamber intermediate said Well and said spout, a rotatable dispenser mounted in the dispensing chamber provided With a spindle extended from said housing, an operating member mounted on the extended portion of said spindle,'a pair of clutch members mounted on said spindle and enclosed by said operating member and fixed respectively to the spindle and the operating member, and manually operable means engageable with and for actuating said operating member to dispense measured quantities of material at each partial rotation of the dispensing element.

l0. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a receptacle for the materials, a casing adjustably mounted relative to the receptacle for enclosing the receptacle against unauthorized access, a dispensing mechanism on the receptacle and having an outlet projecting thru said casing, and a plunger slidably mounted on a side of the casing and operatively engaging and for actuating said dispensing mechanism, and means for detachably supporting said dispensing mechanism for removal when said casing is authorizedly opened.

1l. A dispenser for dry materials as characterized in claim 9, including means for closing the interior of said operating mem-' be against the leakage of a lubricant adaptl ed to be sealed therein.

12. A dispensing device comprising a housing, a dispenser rotatably mounted therein 5 having a. spindle extended from said hous-` ing, a clutch member on said spindle, an operating member loosely mounted on said s indle and having a clutch member fixed t ereto cooperating with said first mentioned clutch member, said operating member having an axial cavity embracing said spindle and the clutch member thereon, means for closing the cavity in said operating member against leakage of the lubricant to be 7.5 held in said cavity, and means for holding said clutch members in enga-gement.

ARTHUR L. BOBRICK. 

